Each Bullet Is A Song
by EDGLayla
Summary: What happens when an ambitious and passionate artist finds the perfect audience? Follow the story of Jhin and Arwen to find out! Rated T but could seem M to someone due to violent themes.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Hello there! If you already know me, you have been warned about this. :D If not, welcome to the story! This is a Jhin and OC one shot that started as a brainstorm idea and ended up being 5.1K words, this is insane! Huge shout out to crazyLatern for helping me (yet again) put my ideas on the correct order so I could create this story! If you happen to like this, go check out my other story "The Silver Crossbow". If you are fond of drama and adventure, I can promise you will find it all there! So without further ado, let's head to the story!

* * *

They would understand his genius - _eventually_. They would open their eyes and embrace true art. Despite of the time this might needed, Khada Jhin was determined to grace them all with his work. With 'Whisper' as his paintbrush, he created. He made them complete. He made them beautiful. He made them _perfect_.  
He was everything that would describe an original artist. He had all the power and the respect he could ask for. But he lacked an audience. Someone who would grant him the praise and the confirmation he needed. Someone who would appreciate his work. A person who would appreciate true art.  
He would never admit but he envied some of the other Ionian artists; not the way they performed for he considered it too simple and unoriginal. He envied them for their ability to attract an audience and earning applause for something they hardly ever put effort to create. They were all the same to him. Low level people with no trace of passion or interest for what they do, who had the nerve to call themselves artists.

However, every rule bears an exception and in this case, it was no different. A certain Ionian artist has caught his eye a long while ago. He had been watching her from distance, admiring how passionate she seemed everytime she described her work to her audience. The way her brows would furrow in thought while she stared at the blank canvas, the twinkles of light appearing inside her warm chocolate eyes when she finished working on a painting, the way the paintbrush moved against the canvas as if it was an extension of her own hand; everything about her was worth praising. Her works were promising and pleasant to watch. But she was missing that little something only he could give her. True artistic integrity. It was true, she was passionate and serious about her art. Her view of it though was quite a shallow one.

He wanted to make her see behind the landscapes, the nature, the people. He meant to show her that art was something that emanates from the deepest abyss of one's soul. Something personal yet so common. Something original and unrepeatable. Once she embraced the true meaning of art, she would be the perfect canvas. A canvas on which he would create his best work yet. His masterpiece. Through her, he would be finally ready to grace the world with his genius. They would leave the shallow waters of the common artwork and become a part of something deeper. Something that does justice to the message he has been trying to convey for so long. He knew at this moment, he had found his muse. Someone who had the potential to become perfect. Her artistic personality along with her looks was all he needed to create his best work yet. It would be the most memorable highlight of his career. The grand masterpiece that would make his name and his art known all over Valoran. He would finally obtain the audience he's been craving for. His work of art would gain a reason to exist at last. And he would finally feel _complete_.

* * *

The colours black and red were not the ones he would use to describe her with, but they seemed to be a common pattern on every painting of hers. Walking further inside her gallery, he noticed that even the interior decorations would bear those colours. It made him wonder what importance they held on her and what was her perspective on the meaning of them combined together. His gaze followed the row of paintings exhibited on the wall when he stopped to a certain one that drew his attention. The painting was consisted of a single crimson red rose blooming in the midnight storm. Her message might not have been clear to the rest of her audience, but he understood what she was talking about. He could relate to the way she felt and the way she expressed herself. She was not but a lost little flower who needed someone to guide her to the right path. And he knew he could be that person. He **would** be that person.

The sound of heels clicking on the hard wooden floor filled his ears as he noticed a smaller female figure standing beside him, her eyes fixed on the painting.  
He regarded her for several seconds, noticing how much different she looked when she wasn't on a public stage exhibiting her paintings. Strands of her golden brown locks were falling carelessly on her face, most of them held up by a dark red ribbon. Her almond shaped brown eyes were glued on the painting in front of her and her full pink lips were slightly parted as she was getting lost into the picture. He was right after all. She was a piece of art. _Pure art_.  
" I am impressed. I have been running this gallery for a while and I will admit I haven't seen anybody showing such interest for this particular work. Yet somehow I consider this my best one yet. So tell me sir, what intrigued you in this artwork? "

He smiled through his mask as the words reached his ears. So hungry for knowledge. Such an interesting woman.

" It is quite simple. Through a single painting, you portray your view on life. People value life more than death because the first one is a sweet lie and the other one is a bitter truth. Isn't that your message? "

The look on her face held many emotions. He could tell he had earned her respect by the way her eyes were torn from the painting and met his and the way she silently gasped when he voiced her thoughts. She frowned at the sight of his mask as if she was trying to remember if she had met him before. She decided to save that thought for later on and try to get to know the mysterious man a little bit more.

"Exactly. Consider me impressed, once again. Until now, nobody understood what I am trying to say. People admire my work without making an effort to explore the deeper message hidden within. "

A misunderstood artist; a small caged bird fighting for someone to set it free. That was what she actually was. He understood her better and better each minute passing. She was almost ready. _Almost_.

" Common people cannot see beyond the canvas and the blended colours. This is why such a piece of art does not earn the appreciation it deserves. You see society, just like this painting, is a destructive storm that can come and go like the wind. However, traces of its presence there will always exist. These intense droplets of rain represent the people and the criticism an artist will receive from time to time. Sometimes they are strong and tense, sometimes not. And then there is the flower. A special person who chose not to be another droplet in the rain and instead make a difference to the world. This is what I call _art_. Therefore, the flower symbolises the artist. The odd one out who never committed themselves to be just a face in the crowd. The one who created. The one who _**lived**_. "

She listened to him talk awestruck about the man's ability to precisely voice everything she felt since she started off as an artist. The way he analysed her painting did more than enough to impress her. It was no secret to her that he was possibly an artist as well. She was intrigued by him, not only as a man but also as a work of art. He could see the admiration she held for him in her chaste brown eyes and he was content with it. His work would turn out perfect. All he needed was some more time with her and then, she'd be ready.

" I take it that you are a very experienced artist yourself. Your view on art seems cruel but it holds truth in it. Artists will do anything to keep their message intact, as far as it expresses them. And this is why the world seems chaotic to us. "

Most of the people have long left the gallery, but none of the two seemed to mind. This conversation was exactly what Jhin needed to get to know his muse and artwork well enough to be able to turn her into a masterpiece. He let out an almost silent sigh looking back at her.

" Chaos is not a negative aspect of this world, Miss. It is in carnage that we bloom, like a flower in the dawn. No matter how many droplets of rain fall on us, we shall never wither. On the contrary, each and every droplet makes us stronger. It makes us _bloom_. "

His words were passionate and true as he voiced them; they held a significant meaning. But, as soon as she heard them, she knew she has definitely met the man before, or at least heard of him. But who was he? What secrets and mysteries lied hidden behind the ivory mask?

" I think it is time for me to ask. Who are you? I have the feeling we have met before. Or I have at least heard of you and your work somewhere. You sound oddly familiar. "

The room fell silent for several seconds, which only managed to raise her suspense levels. This man was a fairly good artist. He made sure to put on a show even when he was talking. Every place could be his stage and everything could be used as a part of his performance. Even this. Even _**her.**_

" I do not intend to brag about it, but my work is broadly known in every village and every coast of the island of Ionia. So far, people have only been negative about it. It is only because they fail to see the art in what I do. They will understand my genius - eventually. They will sing along to the song of the Golden Demon. "

He didn't miss the flashes of realisation and terror in her eyes as he spoke those words. She was still like the rest of them; she didn't understand. The difference between them and her though was that she had the potential to understand. She was an immaculate mind which could broaden its horizons for the better. He could make her see clearly. He could make her appreciate true art.

"Khada Jhin. I have heard a lot about you, indeed. Little people have seen you and from those who did, not even half lived long enough to tell the tale. I cannot bring myself to understand how could you commit such atrocities in the name of art. Art is supposed to be something pure and beautiful. It is not meant to be associated with murder. You can't consider yourself an artist. "

He sighed behind his mask, her words were nothing strange to him. Just another droplet of rain in his petals. She would see the truth. _**Everybody would**_.

" Oh, I agree. Art is pure and beautiful. But answer me this; what is more beautiful and pure than death? I suppose you recognise these aspects. All of your works refer to it. It doesn't differ from my own. I am just providing my audience with art in a more graphic way. "

She filled her nostrils with fresh air to heal her drained lungs. The atmosphere was only getting thicker as the conversation went on, only for her to realise that she could be one of his targets. Her chances of survival around him were minimum if she kept the attitude up. She would die eventually, that she knew. Though, she was content she would at least fall in the name of art. The one thing she valued more than her life.

" You are here to kill me, aren't you? If so, go ahead. I have nothing to lose. I would do anything for the sake of art. "

Jhin smiled behind his mask, feeling emotionally overwhelmed by her words. 'Anything for the sake of art'. What an example of a true artist she was. A muse of inspiration for him.

" As much as I would love to turn you into a breathtaking masterpiece, I'm afraid I have to depart. But before I go, let me know who did I have the honour of speaking to? "

She blinked twice before bringing herself to process his words. Good, at least she was alive. For now.

" Arwen. My name is Arwen. "

 _Arwen_. Even her name was implying art within its meaning. She was indeed his grand prize. His masterpiece.

" It was delightful to meet you, Arwen. Until next time. "

* * *

Months have passed since her first encounter with the Virtuoso. She has heard enough about him and his most recent works but hasn't seen him since the night on her gallery. During that time, she occasionally found herself staring at her favourite dark painting, the one he was praising at the night they met. Looking at it over and over again, she realised that he was right about it. She did portray death as something pure and beautiful, so was she really any different from him? She was seeking the truth behind the veil of lies on everything she worked on. She valued her art more than anything else. But most importantly, she has learned to appreciate art in every shape or form.

 _And so did he._

She came to realise the truth in his words and how wrong she was about him and herself this whole time. They were, in fact, more similar than she thought they were.

A soft knock on her office door interrupted her thoughts. She frowned fixing back the paperwork on her hands before standing up to answer it. Behind the door stood her personal secretary; a traditional young Ionian woman with strawberry blonde hair and goggle green eyes. The woman greeted Arwen with a bow of her head, the second mimicking her moves right after.

" My shift is finished for tonight, miss Arwen. If there is nothing else you possibly need from me, I will be taking my leave. "  
She smiled gratefully at her employee's manners and dismissed her from the office with a nod.

After she made sure that the gallery was empty, she exited the building locking the doors behind her. Her day has been rather busy and all she needed was to return back home as soon as possible. However, her plans seemed like they wouldn't come true anytime soon.  
A gang of five older men were making their way towards her, beers on their hands. Panicked, she looked around her considering her options. Nobody was outside at this time of the night so there was no point in screaming for help. Her only choice was to run as fast as her feet could take her to some place safe. Her first thought was the Palacidium but it was a ten minute walk from where she currently was. Running out of options and time, she decided to start running to the direction of the Palacidium.  
And so she did.

She briefly turned around to look at the men and her eyes were filled with surprise. Only two of them were still chasing her and the rest were nowhere to be seen. That was until she bumped on something hard which made her lose her balance. The collision sent her flying to the floor a few centimeters back. Malicious laughter could be heard from the men behind her as they came closer, circulating her along with the rest of the gang. With no further escape she just remained on the floor shaking and crying, hoping they wouldn't harm her. At least not too much.

" Aye, look at what we've got here boys! Sweetheart, what is a lady of your likes doing alone in the deserted Ionian streets at this time of the night? "

One of the men bent down lifting her chin up with his greasy fingers forcing her to look at him. She tried to turn her head away from his piercing gaze but the man was persistent and forced her eyes on his once again. His hand traced a path starting from her thighs and moving slowly upwards. She shivered in disgust at the man's touch and decided that enough was enough. She slapped his hand away before it reaches its destination and with a shaky breath she mustered up the power to spit on his face. The sudden attack momentarily surprised the man who instinctively took two steps back regaining his composure.

" So this is how it's going to be, huh? Boys, I think this one deserves special treatment. "

A large palm collided with her cheek with such force that it caused her head to turn the other way. Her eyes glimmered forming a small amount of tears as she heard the unmistakable sound of a belt unbuckling. She breathed heavily accepting her fate until the sound of a trigger also caught her ears.

 _ **One**_. The first bullet ripped through one of the men's skull. She watched in horror as murky red liquid was gushing from the hole between his eyes. " What the hell? What is this? " another man shouted in horror watching his partner explode into ashes forming a rose underneath.  
 _ **Two**_. Before the man could protest more, another bullet fired from afar piercing through his throat in the same style as the previous one making the man dissolve into rose petals and ashes.  
 _ **Three**_. Another one of the five fell from the shots leaving only two men standing, looking at each other horrified.  
 ** _Four_**. This explosion was nothing like the others. The last bullet was seemingly different than the other three, coming with a force that created a massive explosion from which only one of the men barely survived.

There was not a sound of a trigger or a gun anymore. Silence fell on the scenery; a welcoming peace that did not indicate anything that has previously happened. The last man standing furiously looked around him searching for the sniper that wiped out his gang.

" Show yourself, coward!"

Arwen gasped when she heard an all familiar voice approaching them, humming on a traditional Ionian tune. Of course it was him. She should have known. Everything was just too surreal for the man to be a common mercenary. No, this was the handiwork of an artist.

His intimidating ivory mask glowed under the dim street light as he made his way down the alley. She stole a glance from him studying the emotions his eyes betrayed as he scanned the area around him. Pride, satisfaction, passion. He looked beautiful, almost normal dare she say, when he was admiring his work.

"Five men abusing a helpless mistress in the middle of the night? How unoriginal. It is truly a shame how art ended up being such a commodity. " he said as he slowly pulled the trigger and fired a bullet on the man's leg.

" Gah! Who the hell are you? "

A silent sadistic laugh escaped Jhin's lips as he fired another bullet to his other leg. The man collapsed on the floor his breaths heavy and calculated as his senses threatened to leave him due to blood loss.

" That's it, sing you little songbird. _**Sing for me**_. "

A third bullet found its way into the man's chest who let out a desperate cry begging and pleading for his life to be spared. She regarded him in awe as he twirled the gun on his hand for several seconds until he fired a last fatal bullet that turned the man into a compilation of golden dust and red coloured rose petals.  
He immediately turned his attention to her, offering his hand. She took it and stood up dusting herself off from all the blood and the dirt covering her clothes.

" Miss Arwen. Are you injured? "

She shook her head giving him a grateful smile as she spoke.

" No, I am fine. Thanks to you. I don't know how you found me but thank you for saving me. "  
He nodded placing the gun back to his hip and readjusting his mask.

" In that case, follow me. There is something I want to show you. "  
She didn't have a good feeling about this but she complied nonetheless. He was the one to save her after all.

" Where are we going? "  
He ignored her question walking along beside her humming on the same tune he was before. She intensely stared at him expecting an answer to her question which only came after he finished his song.

" I am performing in the opera house tonight and I wanted you to watch. "  
She regarded him in disbelief as he spoke those words, wondering just what kind of a performance could he possibly offer at an opera house. Whatever it was, she was sure it'd be unlike any other she has ever witnessed.

" It is the least I can do to return the favour. Aside from that though, I want you to know I'm sorry. I said a few cruel things to you back at the gallery that I didn't mean. It was wrong of me to judge you and call you a murderer without being a witness of your work. I hope you accept my apology. "

His facial expressions were well hidden behind his mask but Arwen could make out the spark forming in his eyes at the sound of her words.

" There is no need to apologise. For one, I am glad you are beginning to see the truth in everything around you. Nothing has changed since then. You are still the same person, the same artist. It is not what you are that held you back. It is what you thought you are not, Miss Arwen. "

There was truth in his words, that she knew. Nothing has changed, indeed. The only thing that differed to the better was her view on various forms of art. Jhin knew that too so her next question did not surprise him.

" Jhin, have you ever used any other form of art to create? "

Silence filled the air once again. He took a few steps further staring at the full moon and the symphony of shining little stars above him.

" A true masterpiece could never be created by just one kind of art. It takes more than that. What you witnessed today was a making of a masterpiece. The gun was my paintbrush and those uncivilised men were my canvas. Their pleas were a melody and each bullet is a song. Because when you draw, you have to close your eyes and sing. Only then you can achieve... _ **perfection**_. "

Blinding white lights moved towards them and back up to the sky, indicating they have reached their destination.

" Ah, here we are! Can I escort you inside Miss Arwen? " he said offering his arm to her. She hesitantly accepted letting him lead her further inside the luxurious building. After they climbed a considerable amount of stairs, they found themselves standing in front of a well craved wooden entrance. She took one step closer and reached for the threshold. Before she could complete the action though, his rough yet warm hand halted her actions. She looked at him in confusion, a look which he returned with a motion of his hand that gestured her to wait.

" Here, wear this. For 'atmosphere' purposes. "

Atmosphere purposes. Of course, how could she forget? It was his performance after all, it had to be perfect in every sector and every aspect of it. She looked at the object he held in his hands admiring its delicate and sophisticated design. Before her Jhin was presenting her an ebony black mask with major silver details, the shape of it seeming to cover just the area around her eyes.

" Will you help me put it on? "

He wouldn't even lie, her request completely took him by surprise. It was like every small trace of fear and disgust she had for him was completely gone. It was hard to believe that someone was actually treating him as an artist; as a human being. He did not let his head rest on this thought for long though. She could be fooling him after all. Maybe the only reason she followed him was because she was still scared of him. Scared of what he could do to her. But then again, now it was not the time for him to bother his mind with such riddles. His show was about to start soon and he wouldn't miss it.

" Turn around. " he said and she complied. He moved her hair to the side, placing the mask in front of her eyes and tying it securely on the back of her head using her hair to hide the black knot. It was only when his hot breath accidentally tickled her neck that she realised how close she actually was to him. She made a huge effort on keeping her composure as he was finishing adjusting the mask correctly on her face.

" _Perfect_. Now that you are ready follow me. "

She nodded walking straight behind him as he opened the door that led them to the amphitheater. She examined her surroundings, noticing she was on a first class booth of seats, the whole stage laying in front of her. Hundreds of people were occupying the room along with the orchestra and the actors up on the stage, every spotlight on them as the show was about to start.  
A sorrowful yet beautiful melody reached her ears when the orchestra started playing the first notes of the song. She got absorbed by the soothing feeling the music and the place granted her. Her curiosity got the best of her and she turned her head to face her company who only acknowledged her actions with a nod.

" Jhin, this is your show isn't it? Why aren't you on stage? "  
He finally met her gaze after this statement. She was starting to get the point, wasn't she?

" It is not the time yet. Be patient and enjoy the opening act. "  
Opening act? What did he mean by that? If this was indeed an opening act, it was very well executed.  
The final notes of the song were playing in the piano, indicating the end of the performance was near. Just then, she noticed Jhin standing up from his seat and pulling the trigger of his gun. She raised her brows in question to which he shook his head almost too enthusiastically in response.

" Enjoy the show. " he said before pulling the trigger to release a bullet that bounced on four targets before creating a massive explosion which resulted to each and every person in the room turning into golden ashes and fully bloomed flowers, creating a breathtaking scenery similar to a garden of crimson red roses. She found herself being more engrossed by the enchanting beauty of the scenery than the fact that the man beside her has just taken hundreds of lives all in once.

"Beautiful. " she whispered, still not accustomed with the way his performance made her feel.

" What did you say? "

Her attention was back to him the moment she heard faint hints of surprise in his voice.

" That...that was beautiful, Jhin. _Enchanting_ performance. "

He bowed deeply before her after hearing her words, placing his gun back to his hip.

" It was a pleasure to perform this act for such an audience. Your praise is well appreciated. Have a good night Miss Arwen. " he said as he turned to leave.

"Jhin? "

"Yes?"

"Just call me Arwen. "

* * *

The gallery has never been so crowded. It was crazy how one painting could get the attention of so many people.  
 ** _Controversial, disputatious, avant garde, evocative_**. Those were only half of the adjectives people used to describe her work. She would hear none of it though once she knew that this was what represented her the most. Many people would give her their congratulations as they left. Others wouldn't say a thing.  
When the gallery was finally empty, she let out a loud sigh, closing the doors behind her. She glanced at the painting a small smile appearing on her lips. Her eyes travelled to the landscape of the picture staying on the woman taking up most of her canvas. She admired the way she was lying impassible on a floor full of red roses. Her skin was pale like tonight's full moon and her mouth agape, smoke emitting from it. A bullet has penetrated the vital parts on her neck, creating a pool of blood bathing her hair and skin. Finally, she looked at the title written below the painting in a sophisticated font. " The Mind of a Virtuoso" it read. A content sigh escaped her lips as she turned around heading to her office. Before she took a step further, a tall slim figure emerged from the shadows applauding her work.

"Excuse me sir, we have closed. "

He responded with an almost mocking laugh walking closer to her and making himself fully visible. She furrowed her brows half confused half surprised at his presence. Eventually, she smiled at him bowing her head to greet him. He returned the gesture averting his gaze from her and setting it on the painting.

" You meant it. "

Once again, she was confused by his statement and regarded him with a questioning look gesturing him to explain.

" When you said my art was beautiful; you meant it. "

She smiled nodding in response.

" Yes, **I did**. "

He let the comforting veil of silence fall between them as they both stared at the painting. His grand masterpiece could wait a little bit longer. For this was not the end, but only the beginning. This once, he had found an audience worthy of his art. Someone who knew. Someone who admired. Someone who **_understood_**.

* * *

Author's Note Vol 2: Aye! Hope you enjoyed this story. :D Yes my OC is inspired by Arwen from LOTR because I'm a huge geek and all that. Please RFF, it would mean a lot. I was actually very insecure about this story and honest opinions would be appreciated!

Till next time,  
Layla


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note:**_ Hi there! Certainly, I quite remember saying this was meant to be a one-shot story but it turns out Jhin's character is getting me all inspired and fired up about this story, so I felt like I should continue this. I don't know if it will end up being as long as "The Silver Crossbow" was but I will make sure it will be as interesing, and maybe even better! Back to the story, this chapter is an introduction to the upcoming adventure involving the main duo. I also feel the need to apologise in advance if Jhin seems out of character sometimes. I get quite passionate when I talk about art, maybe more than necessary and I tend to insert my feelings into my character's words from time to time. I guess that is all I had to say. I hope you enjoy the story!

* * *

Art. This particular word had been equivalent to the meaning of her life since the time she took her first steps into this world. Everything around her was interpreted as art inside her mind. For her, art used to be something immaculate and untainted. Something that delivered life in its every form. But was she right to believe that? Was art truly so one-sided?

It apparently wasn't, as she came to learn. She wouldn't dare to admit this to herself but deep down she was grateful. If it wasn't for him, she would never be able to think outside of the box and broaden her horizons to new depths and aspects of art. She wouldn't be able to fully embrace the one thing she adored the most. She wouldn't feel so...complete. To her he was doubtlessly a work of art. A masterpiece which, in the brief encounters she had with him, she was able to study and understand. Even if it was just a bit. Meeting him made her realise how much she truly didn't know about the world of art. Like the world she was living in, the world of art was too immense and chaotic for her to explore it all. But somehow he made that possible for her. Somehow, he was able to give her wings to fly away from her cage. He was able to set her free.

Staring at the broad palette with lots of individual colours inside, she smiled placing her paintbrush on her favourite crimson red colour before filling the blank canvas in front of her with it. She didn't have anything particular in mind but she knew that the result would be something satisfying. Even her business has been affected by him since the day she met him. Her works have been attracting even more people as the months passed. There were a few that actually appreciated her work but most of them visited the gallery as a result of hearing rumors about a "corrupted" artist that resided on the outskirts of the capital. She had people from every side of Ionia come and either admire or criticise her controversial work while spreading the word even outside of the island. Many would even call her distraught or mentally unstable for considering her atrocious works to be art but she didn't mind. They would appreciate it, eventually.

She suddenly paused her thoughts silently laughing at how weird she sounded. She almost sounded like _him_. The impact he had on her was fairly undeniable and she could feel it infiltrating her mind and soul more and more each day passing. Truth is he was like a drug to her. Not only he was able to control her even when he was absent, but he was also able to inconspicuously lead her back to him with every step she tried to take. No matter how badly she tried to stay where she belonged, he was pushing her to take a step forward. A step towards her true self. She sighed pushing those thoughts aside and letting the paintbrush leave her hand as she stood up and made her way towards the exit.

"Ladies, please take care of the building while I am absent. I wish to go for a long walk."

The secretary and the receptionist on the entrance nodded bowing their heads before escorting her outside. As soon as she was far enough from the gallery, she silently exhaled making her way towards the capital. She hasn't been in the town for a long time and she couldn't help but wonder if the rhythm in which the city was moving was still the same as it was before she left it. Passing through the main gates she concluded that the town had changed after all. It seemed way more lively and active at the moment with festivals and other kinds of feasts taking place in almost every corner of it. Despite the festivities happening around her though, she could certainly sense a much more sinister atmosphere around the capital. Even though the people of the city were continuing their daily activities without any distraction on the way, the aura surrounding them was an ominous one. But even further behind this veil of gloom they've set to protect themselves there was something only she could see. **_Fear_**.

Examining the area around her she sighed finally connecting all of the dots together after setting her sights on a rather large poster on the wall. It appeared to be half torn and dirtied with blood, with a knife stuck in the middle of it. Despite its condition she was able to clearly recognise the person pictured on it. She scowled as she read the word 'murderer' written with blood below his name and removed his poster from the wall, keeping it inside her bag. Walking further into the town, she noticed the security tighten significantly, while several armed men who seemed to belong to another nation were leading a royal tent towards the Palacidium. She figured someone important from another district had visited the capital. Judging by the security and the amount of escorts the man had, he must be quite important, Arwen thought. Something was quite off though. Why would someone so important visit Ionia in such a short notice? He seemed to have come unannounced since everything around her was disorganised and the security was just too light for someone of such high significance. Lost in thought, she suddenly felt light-headed and soon realised the atmosphere around her was different. Pink smoke was now visibly surrounding her before instantly disappearing making her eyes follow the trail of it which led her to the tall building above her. Pink smoke, she thought. This was rather unusual. She sat there deep in thought before her eyes widened in realisation. Memories of the night she was attacked started flooding inside her mind as she took a closer look on the small window on the top floor of the building to notice a person who was barely visible, holding what it seemed like a gun and loading it. There was no doubt about it, she had found him at last.

 _ **Jhin.**_

His finger was now on the trigger about to fire the first shot. She inhaled a sharp breath as she noticed the stance he had taken. It was this move. The four deadly explosive bullets. Without thinking about it twice, she run through the crowd towards the main corridor where the foreign nobleman was currently walking screaming from the top of her lungs.

" **Watch out!** "

The nobleman immediately got alerted and was just able to dodge the first bullet which landed a few meters away causing a small explosion. Meanwhile, the crowd started to panic running in several directions as the guards tried to protect the nobleman by ushering him away from the scene. The second bullet immediately fired turning a dozen of guards immediately to fully bloomed roses and golden ashes. Pushing her hesitation aside, she ran towards the building where she spotted him. She had to stop him from firing the fourth bullet. She was well aware of the damage it could inflict given it was much stronger than the other three and cold sweat dropped from her forehead knowing how things would possibly end up if she didn't stop him on time.

After quickly climbing up the stairs, she rushed to the lone door in front of her pushing it open and rushing inside the room. As soon as she spotted him, she ran towards him grasping his shoulder with all the power she possesed at the moment, managing to make him loosen the grip on his gun.

"Miss Arwen. What is the meaning of this?" he adressed her curtly while holding his sharp gaze to hers.

She made an effort to not be overwhelmed by the eerie and intimidating aura he was emmiting at the moment and instantly spoke up.

"I should be the one asking this question. If you fire that fourth bullet, the whole Palacidium will be destroyed. Like I have declared before, I am not opposed to the way you create art anymore. But the Palacidium is a sacred place and I will not tolerate such an act of sacrilege from a fellow artist I have learned so much from the past months. So please, retreat and follow me back to the gallery for now. The authorities will not find you there."

The man glanced back at her with the same sharp gaze he possessed before but eventually drew his gun back.

"Very well. I shall retreat for the time being, given the fact that you spontaneously ruined my performance during the first shot. But remember this, Miss Arwen; do not interfere with my work. Ever again. You are the audience, therefore you are restricted from interfering with the show. If your actions prove the opposite, I will thereby grand you a slow yet beautiful death. Am I perfectly clear?"

She only nodded in response making her way outside of the room and hoping he didn't notice the single shiver going up her spine during their previous conversation. He followed shortly after letting her lead the way towards the dense forest ahead of them. It hadn't occurred to him before but he found himself being intrigued by the woman's choice of residence. The thought made him wonder about the reasons of her isolation and distance kept from the rest of the world. Though, he wasn't in the mood of asking her the particular moment, him still being irritated due to her actions earlier.

His thoughts paused as he noticed the familiar enormous building that hosted the woman's art exhibition appearing before his eyes.

"I am able to keep you here for as long as you wish, Jhin. People only visit on weekends when the gallery is open and my employees will not notice you if you are careful enough."

He turned to look at her as long as she started speaking, a fascinating idea on his mind.

"Although the offer sounds tempting, I shall only stay for this one night. I have a large tour around Valoran planned starting tomorrow and it is urgent for me to leave early in the morning. You are free to join as well, Miss Arwen. I would strongly recommend you do so, given this could be a rather educational trip for yourself."

Arwen only blinked in response trying to figure out the reasons behind his proposal. She did not believe he was inviting her without a purpose in mind but she found herself agreeing either way.

" I guess that is the least I can do for you since I ruined your performance earlier. Besides, I believe you are going to need your audience anyway."

He nodded walking ahead of her towards the building before turning back to look at her.

"Let us head inside. Rumors have been circulating around the capital about your newest piece of art and the words 'mysterious' and 'gruesome' happened to be the ones that intrigued me the most. Would you show me?"

She smiled and gestured him to follow her further inside. The said painting was the one she was proud of the most among her works. It only took her a week to finish it, which was rather unusual for her but she still admired it for all the effort she put to make it. Truth was, she was more than eager to hear his opinion on this work. She didn't understand why, but ever since she met him his opinion on her works mattered a lot to her and she'd always take into account the feedback he rarely gave her. Arriving in front of the large painting she made a stop staring at it in awe while certain memories rushed through her mind.

"Interesting. _'Garden of Carnage'_ , hm? I must admit your work has improved but I have to ask. Was it myself who inspired you to draw something like this?"

She nodded hesitantly not knowing if this was considered as something good or something bad. Her eyes immediately met his scanning him in search of any reaction but she was able to find none since everything was hidden behind the ivory mask.

"Some moons ago, when you took me to the opera you told me something that happened to have a huge impact on me. _'It is in carnage that we bloom, like a flower in the dawn.'_ , if my memory serves me well. After this, we went into the opera hall where you performed a show that matched the conversation we had beforehand. And this is what led me to draw the scene from the opera that night and name it _'Garden of Carnage'_. This painting is a solid proof as to how enthralled I was by your performance. And I also wish to believe it serves as some kind of apology due to everything that happened today. As a fellow artist, I truly understand how it feels like when people or other circumstances get in the way of you and your art. I apologise for ruining your momentum."

He remained silent for a while staring at the painting while she glanced at him expectantly for an answer. After a few minutes he turned to look at her, his eyes cold as ice but his voice passionate as ever.

"You will learn how to fully appreciate art in every shape or form on this trip. One thing I can promise you, Miss Arwen, is that this will be a journey you will never forget."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note (2):**_ Well, Jhin and Arwen are touring Valoran! Could that journey actually be educational fo Arwen or does Jhin have something else in mind? We'll get a better glimpse at the purpose of the trip on future chapters which I haven't written yet. Therefore, unfortunately I can't stick to my previous programme where I was able to update two times a week. That's because, unlike "The Silver Crossbow", this story is not pre-written. I actually write the chapters little by little due to lack of time so I will start with no schedule till I manage to balance things in real life and organise my writing hours as well. So, until next time xoxoxox


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note:** _ Hello guys! It's been quite a while since the last update but eh, I still have a couple of semesters till I finish uni and things have only gotten harder for me to handle. Let e just say that this chapter contains no major action because of me trying to smoothly run everything till we get ti the main plot (which is next chapter!). What it does contain though, is vital information about how Jhin and Arwen will be working throughout the trip as well as some spicy info about Jhin! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Daytime had promptly signaled its arrival through massive beams of sunlight making their way into her room through her half opened window. She rubbed the sleepiness off her eyes and robotically left her bed to start her morning routine. Peering at herself in the mirror she groaned in protest at the distinguishable dark circles that appeared under her eyes which indicated her lack of sleep. But how could she sleep? All she was able to think of the previous night was how voluntarily she had agreed to his proposal without actually giving it a second thought like she always used to do. What was happening to her? Was it safe to assume that she would be the same person at the end of this journey? Heck, she didn't even know if she'd be alive to witness all these. But one thing was for sure; this bizarre journey would be one she'd never forget, just like he said.

Urging those thoughts at the back of her mind, she packed anything essential in her only average suitcase and headed downstairs towards the reception of her gallery. She halted her steps momentarily, thinking about everything he told her the previous night, only to realise that they hadn't agreed to a meeting place. Taking a few deep breaths, she persuaded herself not to panic while she was desperately searching for a solution. Her reason for agonising over the situation was not because of her fear of missing the chance to take this journey. No, what she was more afraid of was him. She had already irked him enough the past day after interrupting him during a performance and despite the fact that he showed no signs of irritation towards her whatsoever, she knew he was more than displeased with her at the moment. After brief thought, she let out a heavy sigh and picked up her suitcase moving towards the door. Exiting the building, she walked towards the forest to the center of the town. She figured she'd have a higher chance of finding him there, just like the day before.

[…]

She was well aware that no Ionian would ever step into this side of the forest, so when she heard footsteps other than hers approaching closer and closer, she couldn't help but quicken her pace towards the city in hopes of losing the stranger inside the forest. Those woods were familiar to her ever since her childhood days, so being able to hide in them was not an issue. But the footsteps hastily caught up to her and she sensed two firm hands grasping each of her sides. She wanted to scream or run, even to call for help in this deserted area but she found herself frozen on the spot, shaking with fear as the stranger forcibly turned her around to face her. Remaining silent, she took in his appearance. A male in his early thirties dressed in an ebony black cloak that covered most of his body and an oversized hood that covered most of his features. She could only make out his raven black bangs that covered his eyes and a rather ugly scar running through his right eye and cheek. She kept on staring at him confused until the male silently exhaled in annoyance and walked past her towards the city.

"The ship will sail in thirty minutes. Hurry."

Still confused by the stranger's words, she followed him into the city, quickening her pace in an effort to catch up to him. When she was close enough, she walked beside him stealing occasional glances at him trying to understand who he was and how could he make her unconditionally follow him. Peering inside the shadow of his hood, she could faintly make out the shape and colour of his eyes, only to realise that they were also hetero-chromatic. His left eye had a deep crimson red colour while his right scarred one was light blue. She soon found herself unwillingly staring at the man, taking in his mysterious appearance as an intriguing work of art. Oddly enough, she took out one of her small paintbrushes and dipped it into her favourite crimson red paint drawing the outline of the man's iris. Too engrossed on her work, she failed to realise that the man beside her had slowed his pace and walked a few steps behind her, choosing to observe her as she created instead. He didn't miss the faint smile on her lips as soon as she was done drawing what seemed like his left eye, as she proudly placed her paintbrush and small palette back to her bag and continued walking.

"I eventually understand why your works are labeled as controversial, miss Arwen. It is not because of what they depict. It is because of the controversy of feelings they are giving out. I wonder, what could be bringing a young lady like yourself in such a confused state?"

She shuddered at the sound of his voice, noticing his line of sight was drawn to the piece of paper placed on her hands. But after actually taking in his words, several shivers run down her spine and she had to stop herself from having a panic attack.

"Jhin! Is that really _ **you**_?"

The male only kept on walking before turning around and motioning her to follow him. He took a turn on a rather isolated road and slowed down to give her the chance to catch up to him.

"I advise you against using my name so blatantly on a public Ionian street, miss Arwen. It might be proven quite troublesome if I was obliged to perform without a rehearsal."

She nodded her head in understanding as she continued walking by his side in silence. As much as she wished to make a small conversation, her head was occupied with major questions, some of which she wouldn't dare to ask him yet. How did he find her inside the forest that only she was supposed to know? How come he didn't carry any luggage like her? What was the purpose of that oversized cloak? Why wasn't he wearing his mask?

"This whole appearance is a disguise that aids me on blending with the crowd." he said nonchalantly answering the questions inside her mind. "You have been staring for quite some time, thus I figured that the oddity of my appearance must be troubling you."

She looked away from him in a rather flustered way, not able to come up with an excuse for her staring and instead chose to apologise through her words.

"I apologise if this bothered you. It was just simple curiosity, no other meaning behind it."

He hummed in response before halting his steps in front of what seemed the entrance of the large town port. Looking around the area, he immediately realised that they wouldn't be able to leave Ionia as effortlessly as he imagined. Wanted posters of him were pinned on every building and alley of the district and large numbers of police officers sent from Piltover were blocking every exit. He shook his head at their absurd efforts of capturing him and casually walked towards a large black and red ship before turning to the woman walking next to him.

"For this particular trip, you will refer to me as Lord Caspian Forbes of Demacia. A noble of the middle strings who doesn't acquire much influence in his home nation and visits Noxus to seek for further alliances and possible investors for his business. Is my backstory clear, miss Arwen?"

She looked at him curiously before hesitantly nodding her head.

"What about me? Can I go with my true identity?"

He half smiled at her question and shook his head negatively.

"I'm afraid not, miss Arwen. You will go by the name Lady Genevieve De Leon, an aristocrat of the lower strings who co-owns a diamond mining business along with her fiance, Lord Caspian Forbes and her reason of traveling is to accompany her betrothed on this long journey. Any other questions, Lady De Leon?"

She smiled at the elegance of her new fake ID and answered him with courtesy and a smile.

"Everything is crystal clear, Lord Caspian."

[…]

The only thing separating the two from starting their journey was the dense wall of police officers in front of the entrance of the ship. Grasping her wrist rather tightly, he led her through the crowds and towards the ship where they were stopped by the authorities.

"State your names and reason of traveling please." one of the officers demanded and Jhin nodded taking out two pieces of paper handing them to the man wordlessly. Eyeing them, the police officer immediately bowed and stepped aside.

"Pardon me for the delay Lord Forbes and Lady De Leon. The first class floor is accessible by the stairs on the right. Have a safe trip!"

Jhin only gave a nod in response dragging the woman behind him before she broke free from his grasp and walked beside him with a small smile playing on her lips.

"Not that I am complaining about your choices, but why first class? Isn't it a little too expensive for minor people like us?"

He huffed, turning back to look at her from the corner of his crimson red eye before answering.

"It is indeed expensive for people like you and me. But it is not as big of a deal for my latest masterpieces, Lord Caspian Forbes and Lady Genevieve De Leon. Their fortune combined is enough to let us enjoy our trip the way it'd fit for a famous gifted artist. Don't bother with such information miss Arwen. Let me do the talking and everything will be alright, I can assure you about this."

She didn't hear much of what he had said as she stood frozen in the hallway processing his words. Her name and story, such as his, were not made up. Those two used to be real people with the exact same background before being turned into rose petals and golden ashes by the man in front of her. What was she doing here? Why did she seem like she was enjoying this in the beginning?

Jhin halted his steps sensing her inner conflict and grabbed her wrist making her look at him. She reluctantly looked up and saw his hetero-chromatic eyes staring deeply into hers, blank from any emotion.

"Are you afraid of me?"

She didn't know how to answer his question. Should she tell him the truth or should she brush it off? There was no saying of what the man could do to her if he didn't appreciate the answer she gave him but decided to take the risk nonetheless.

"Yes, I am."

He half smiled looking away from her eyes towards the ball room of the ship.

"I figured this was the case. Seeing how you work on your paintings, I understood that there is a part of you who appreciates me as an artist and another one who is still viewing me as the insane cold-blooded murderer that the rest of these people claim me to be. Hence the controversy of your works. This is one of the reasons why I chose to take this journey with you, Arwen. Such contradictions and controversies are what help an artist like yourself fall apart. And falling apart like this is an ugly way to die. If anything, I'd rather avoid losing my audience in such a way. Because by the end of this trip, we are going to be the most beautiful pieces of art Valoran has ever witnessed. This is a promise from me to you."

She nodded in response choosing to remain silent as they made their way towards the ball room. Jhin suddenly halted in front of the large elegant doors and turned to face the woman behind him.

"Lady De Leon, are you aware of the term 'etiquette'?"

* * *

 _ **Author's Note (2):**_ Some of you might call Arwen a bipolar person, and you'll probably be right, since I feel like I am completely failing to portray her inner conflict about what do the words "art" and "artist" really mean. I hope you understand what I am trying to do with her character and how I plan to develop it further in the story. If there are any more questions about anything on the story, please feel free to PM me anytime!


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note:** Hey, I'm back! It only took me 15 days but eh...university is demanding on its very last semesters! I managed to write down a chapter that I was rather content with since it gave us more hints on how things will unfold on the upcoming chapters. Moreover, I know I might have promised action in this chapter but unfortunately there is none. On these 15 days of my absense I managed to brainstorm a really intriguing idea about this story which made me slightly change my original plan. Don't worry though, Jhin's performance shall begin soon enough!_  
 _I also feel the need to apologise about the lack of romance in this. I don't plan on including any for a long long time since it's the damn Virtuoso we are talking about. :P Of course there will be many interesting interactions between the two but none of them will be romantically implied, at least by Jhin._  
 _I guess that was all I had to say for now. Oh and thak you so much to everyone who is reading, commenting and keep me motivated to continue this stoy even through the hardships of being a uni student. :) Please enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

"Etiquette?" she asked glancing towards him as if he'd answer her question just by looking at her. He exhaled almost inaudibly before repeating his question once more.

"Yes, Lady Genevieve. Isn't the term familiar to you?"

She contemplated her answer for a single moment before turning back to him.

"I am only aware of the basics. Nothing that would fit the lady I am impersonating."

He nodded in response taking one step forward towards the door before stopping once more.

"This will not be a problem for this particular trip. However, given the fact that we will be using these identities for the rest of our journey you shall have no choice but to let me teach you the elite ways. Now, as soon as we walk through these doors, all you have to do is stay beside me and look interested in any conversation we shall get engaged to. But if you happen to be addressed or asked about your opinion on any matter, your reply must strictly be either that you are not interested in politics or that you hold no regard towrds the issue. Is that comprehensible, Arwen?"

After receiving her nod of approval, he opened the large wooden doors and led the way towards the ball room. He scowled at the large number of people present. It would be relatively hard to find his target among all these small fries but that would not stop him from setting the stage. No, the show has just begun.

Meanwhile Arwen would find herself gawking and intensely admiring her surroundings. Being a village girl who always lived alone on the outskirts of the urban areas of Ionia she was never met with such luxury and radiance. Everything seemed surreal to her; from the fact that she was in a place like this to the fact that she was in a place like this travelling alongside one of Ionia's most wanted criminals. But that wouldn't stop her from enjoying this experience. She was aware that from the moment she encountered him, her death sentence had been already set. And because of that, she had made a promise to herself. A promise to live the rest of her live like she'd never done before; on the edge. As dangerous as this mission of his sounded she'd still accompany him. She wanted those experiences. Something to write on that journal of hers, which would be the only memento that she ever existed on this land. Yes, she would keep a record of everything that was bound to happen on this journey in the hopes of her name being remembered even after she passed away. Her name and her art both.

"Genevieve."

A stern voice called pulling her out of her thoughts. Recognizing the sound, she immediately met his cold warning gaze and silently gulped. What did she do this time?

"Yes, Lord Caspian?"

He silently stared daggers at her for a while until he spoke up, the irritated tone surprisingly absent from his voice.

"You look like you have never seen places like this before, which I doubt is the case for someone of your class. It is not fitting for a lady to be zoning out either. It would be better if you behaved according to your status, Lady De Leon."

She remained silent and bowed her head in apology with the only words escaping her lips being "Of course. I apologise my Lord.".

Satisfied by her answer, he took her hand leading her further into the room where nobility from every corner of Valoran had gathered up dancing and discussing mostly about politics or other elite topics that Arwen didn't understand. Throughout the night, she couldn't help but notice how easy it was for Jhin to blend into any kind of crowd. She had no doubt he had possibly done this many times before. He seemed to be quite accustomed to etiquette and replied in a rather robotic way in every question addressed to him. If she didn't know him any better, she'd assume he actually belonged among the elite.

"And that must be your lovely fiancee, Lady Genevieve De Leon, correct? To be honest it always intrigued me. Tell me, my Lady, how come a Demacian Lord and a Noxian Lady like yourself found common ground given that the two nations have always been on a never ending war?"

Utterly surprised by the question that was directed at her, she only smiled at the noble in front of her. None of the answers Jhin instructed her to give was fitting the current question and she'd have to think fast otherwise he'd be mad at her, again. Eventually, she answered with the only thing that always came in her mind first. Something that never dissapointed her.

"Through art of course. Me and Lord Caspian both found common ground at the only thing that can express any person in so many different ways. I actually met the Lord in one of the galleries I happened to visit."

She let out a breath she'd been holding for too long as long as she saw the noble being satisfied by her answer but held another one back when she noticed the slight stare of the man beside her.

"Yet, later on we realised that our interest for valuable rocks and especially diamonds was equally strong. Thus, it led us into founding our current business."

The rest of the conversation was all a blur to her, being absorbed into her thoughts as she stood beside Jhin smiling at the other nobles. Why did he feel the need to interfere? Did she say something she shouldn't have? What was that stare for? Did she entirely mess up?

Noticing the nobles in front of her walk away, she let her facial muscles relax a bit before hesitantly turning her head to look at him. She wasn't surprised to see him glaring at her again.

"Did I mess up that badly?" she faintly whispered.

He exhaled inaudibly before bending down slightly in an attempt to reach her level.

"Your answer was not unacceptable as I originally expected but keep in mind that making frequent references to art might be dangerous in our situation."

Seemingly relieved her shoulders relaxed as she felt all the tension from before disappearing from her body. She sent him a small smile before taking a glass of champagne from the trays and sipped as elegantly as she could from it.

"Also..." he started and she silently gulped once more. Of course there would be more. She didn't expect to be perfect since day one but his constant scolding even on public places like this was something that caused her quite a serious distress.

"Ugh, what did I do this time?"

His grip on his own glass of champagne tightened at her annoyed tone and he glared at her once more. She had already lost count of his cold stares and occasional glares he'd given her but if she had to vote, the one he was giving her now was the most sinister one.

"You shall restrain yourself from smiling at random men like this. These nobles get the wrong idea and it makes me look bad to them. Simple as that."

The small irritation she felt was now clearly shown as she held his stare for longer than she herself would have anticipated downing the rest of her champagne before speaking.

"What is that supposed to mean? Wasn't it you the one who told me to leave all the talking to you and simply stand by your side? And now you are telling me I am doing that the wrong way too. I apologize if I am not what you expected but not everybody is a socially skilled criminal like yourself. You can't expect me to just-"

She was cut off by his bone breaking grip on her wrist as he forced her to walk a small distance away from the crowd.

"What part of it didn't you understand, woman? The elite world is an entirely different world. Much different than yours. What could be considered an innocent action for someone like you, is a big deal for them. A noble's unfaithful fiancee is the greatest shame for a man of this class. If they lose their respect for me I will have to start from square one or even be forced to perform under dangerous circumstances for you and me both. I knew I should have brought you along as a maid, but that would only make things harder since people would question me about Lady De Leon. However, we cannot change anything at this point. You will remain under the identity of Lady De Leon and if you truly wish to make it to the Noxian capital alive, you shall make an effort to transform yourself into a true lady."

Her head shook affirmatively in response as she took in his words. Despite his cold tone and sinister look, he was right. She had made the choice of accompanying him on this trip and now she'd have to face the consequences of it. She wouldn't dare get on his way again. She'd already done it twice since that day at Ionia and she wouldn't risk doing it again. Instead she chose to inform herself some more about the case.

"Did you find who you were looking for?"

Seemingly calmer than before and back to his cold yet refined behaviour he turned to answer her.

"Yes, the target is indeed in this ship as the information I gathered was claiming."

Determined to keep the conversation going, she pressured on the matter some more. She wanted to know how he plans and executes his work. But most importantly, she wanted to know why. What was his motivation? Why was he picking especially some people over others?

"And, what is the next step?"

He glanced at her curiously before sipping at his glass of champagne and answering.

"The performance. I will explain the process in detail tomorrow. But I must warn you that you have a significant part on it too. Are you prepared?"

She froze at his words mentally debating whether she should just unconitionally agree or ask him to elaborate. What did he want her to do exactly? What if he asked her to murder someone? Was she ready for something like this or she'd completely mess up his plan and end up dead as well? Before she could freak out more about the possible scenarios in her head, his firm voice pulled her out of her trance.

"I assume you are still worried about dirtying your hands with the blood of someone. There is no need to be concerned about it, I wouldn't risk having you do something like this. You are not ready to embrace art yet. You are still incomplete as an artist and your clumsy work would only meddle with mine and ruin it. I was only planning to use you as a decoy."

She'd have expected herself to feel relieved after his response but instead she felt offended. Regardless of how she viewed him or his work, she didn't appreciate the fact that he was insulting her and degrading her as an artist. She suddenly felt the need to prove herself to him, to show him that she could do anything in the name of art, just like he did. But what would be the consequences? Was she ready to be considered a criminal as well on the name of art? Would she do that sacrifice for the one thing she adored the most in this world? Would she overstep her mental boundaries and do what in the past seemed impossible for her? What should she do? How should she act? What was right and what was wrong? She didn't know. What she did know was that tomorrow would be the day that would eventually define her; not only as a person but as an artist altogether.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note (2) :** The stage is set, the actors are in their places and the audience is also present anticipating the big showcase! What will Arwen decide? How will it affect Jhin and his plan? Stay tuned and follow the story to be notified about updates that are soon to happen!_

 _See you soon! xoxoxo_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note:** Hello guys! First, I should start with apologizing about how late this chapter actually is. I feel quite bad given the fact that I promised my updates would be more frequent on the last chapter. Now, I won't say anything else and let you get to the chapter already because I guess I kept you all waiting enough!_

* * *

The next morning came as fast as she expected, though she couldn't say the same for her resolve to leave her cabinet bed. She knew she had to be up early, she had to. His instructions the previous night were clear.

 _"Meet me on the ship deck at 07:00 AM **sharp**. Avoid any delay."_

Sighing loudly she pulled the covers of her body and rushed towards the closet slipping into one of the extravagant luxurious dresses Jhin has provided her with. After fixing her hair and make-up to a more presentable level she left her cabinet in a hurry, making her way upstairs to the main deck of the ship were she was supposed to meet him. As she expected, he was already there – and surprisingly without his mask on - even though there were still 20 minutes left for their appointment.

Her footsteps echoed on the open space as her heels made contact with the hard wooden floor which directed his attention to her.

"You are early, Arwen."

She faintly smiled before sitting beside him at the bench.

"You are early as well. Have you been there for long?"

His eyes quickly scanned the place for any other sign of life or disturbance before answering her question.

"Long enough to finish my preparations. The stage is set and so is the audience. Now, it is your turn to take your place on the stage."

She could feel cold sweat eveloping her whole body at his words, mentally wondering what could he possibly had in mind. She felt ashamed about her frightened reaction, even though she tried to get rid of it by giving herself a prep talk more than enough times the night before. She was scared. Scared that she'd disappoint him in some way. But deep inside, masked by her layers of terror she was feeling thrilled. Not knowing what the next moment might bring and having her life hanging by a spider thread was disturbingly thrilling for her. She knew she shouldn't feel this way, but there she was overcoming her fears and replacing them with thrills. Maybe his impact on her was grander than she initially thought.

Pushing all those thoughts aside she turned to face him nodding her head.

"And what might my role be?"

He paused for a brief moment before standing up and gesturing her to follow him. She complied and rose from her seat walking beside him towards the front edge of the ship. Once they arrived, she noticed a small box placed down at the floor covered with a small piece of cloth.

"Open it." he suddenly said and she nodded reaching for the small box . When she did, her eyes widened at the sight of the items inside. There layed a small convenient black gun and a sharp dagger of the same colour with the initials GD craved on it.

"What am I supposed to do with these?" she asked as firmly as she could holding his gaze. He sighed in an irritated tone before taking the items out of the box and handing them to her.

"Use them for self defense. You can never tell what will happen in the middle of a show and if you value your life enough you will keep these with you. The people we are dealing with will not hesitate to take your life to save theirs. It is much like chess and any other strategic game. If you hesitate you lose; not pawns but your life. I believe I have made myself clear."

She only shook her head in understanding before hiding the weapons on a safe place under her long dress. Once she was done, her attention was back to him, eagerly expecting the rest of his explanation. Sensing her eagerness, along with hints of fear and uncertainity, he proceeded to explain the rest of his strategy.

"This ship is bound to reach the port tomorrow morning. But tonight, the captain plans to hold a banquet to celebrate the last day of this journey. Our target is said to be attending as a honourable guest, therefore our presence is mandatory as well. Remember, our identities are still Caspian Forbes and Genevieve De Leon, even when we reach land. Now, like I mentioned the night before, I plan to use you as a decoy to lure our target to the center of the stage. I expect you to have learned basic etiquette from your attendance at the party last night, because you will certainly need it in order to impress a man of his caliber."

He momentarily paused picking up a map that was hidden underneath his coat and started to explain while opening it.

"This is an accurate design of the room where the banquet will be held. The only thing you need to do is lure the man right here on the center and avoid the red marked spots. I don't expect you to understand the importance of this map and the way it is arranged but if you follow my instructions, this performance will be perfect and your debut will be as grand as I imagined it."

She furrowed her brows at the last statement, lifting her head to meet his gaze and spoke while maintaining eye contact.

"My...debut?"

He half smiled wickedly, something she felt very uncomfortable with, and proceeded to explain.

"It would be a shame to restrain an artist such as yourself to simply being a decoy. Like I said yesterday, your role is pretty critical in this performance. You see, Whisper can shoot 4 times in a row, with the last bullet being the most powerful as you have witnessed. But after this, I will need several seconds to refill, which might be proven crucial if I don't have a back up. This was usually not an issue but given the circumstances, I do not have an immediate escape route and I cannot switch positions very often. On those seconds I will not be able to shoot anyone who will come near me or you. Therefore, your job is to take down anyone who will approach you or my sniping spot. Is that clear?"

The colour that drained from her face was nothing in front of the intense heartbeats and the shocked look in her eyes as she processed his words. She was aware that this day would eventually come and she had no means to avoid it from the moment she agreed to go on this journey with him but now that the time was finally here, she couldn't bring herself to understand how was she supposed to end another human life so aburptly.

"I don't know, I have never done this before. How does it feel?"

He blinked at her question, not expecting a display of such a calm demeanor from her.

"Like you've been stricken with the greatest of inspirations. Once we finish, you will be able to admire your work of art with pride. Besides, to satisfy their audience, an artist must first be satisfied with themselves."

She only nodded in an effort to hide her uncertainty and gazed at the horizon where the sun was starting to make an appearance.

"I hope you are right, Jhin."

* * *

The rest of the day passed relatively fast for her; her mind occupied with the many different scenarios that filled her head. What if something went wrong? What if she hesitated the last moment? Could this night be her last?

Countless questions circulated her mind like a whirlpool of emotions. Strange, unfamiliar, contradicting even. Staring at the ebony black mask that lay in front of her, her mind took her back to events happening throughout the day.

 ** _Flashback_**

" _Lady De Leon?"_

 _She spun around almost too quickly at the sound of his smooth and almost gentle tone, utterly surprised by it only to be reminded that they were on a public area where they had to use their alternate identities. Slightly shaking her head to dismiss any unwanted thoughts she raised her eyes to meet his gaze and immediately noticed him holding out a rather elegant dark box gesturing her to take it._

" _What is this?"_

" _Open it."  
_

 _She complied and slowly opened the almost heavy box only to find a rather familiar item hidden inside. Examining it twice to be sure, she glanced back at him and then to the box only to see the very black mask he had given her the day they visited the music hall and watched his performance for the first time. She nodded in gratitude and kept the present inside her bag glancing back at his direction._

" _Wear this tonight at the banquet and meet me at the entrance of this floor as soon as the feast begins." he said and turned his back to her disappearing inside the crowd._

 _Sighing, she nodded at herself and made her way to the cabin to prepare herself for the upcoming night; both aesthetically and mentally._

 ** _End Of Flashback_**

She didn't know if she was just imagining it or not but the night already had a different kind of...air around it. The rest of the ship was overtaken by deadly silence, the only source of sound could be heard at the main dock where the party was held. Holding up the skirt of her dress, she made her way upstairs as elegantly as she could master, before noticing a strange setup at the entrance. She decided not to look further into it in fear of ruining his plan and just went along with the flow of the party. Sensing his strong presence behind her, she turned around and gave him a nod before heading towards the target's direction, patiently waiting for the clock to strike midnight while trying to engage a conversation with the unfortunate nobleman.  
Jhin nodded to himself in satisfaction seeing that his plan was proceeding without any trouble so far, even though it was the first time Arwen was doing something like this. Finally reaching his sniping spot, he put on his signature mask and refilled the bullets of his precious "paintbrush" while he patiently waited for her signal. _"I hope she remembers the right order of things"_ he thought to himself, half smiling when he saw her taking out a small mirror and doing the small hand gesture he ordered her to. _"Yes, it's showtime."  
_ Meanwhile, Arwen has finished drinking the rest of her champagne which she indicated to the man in front of her.

"It seems like I am our of champagne. Please excuse me while I go refill the glass, my lord."

The man only nodded allowing her to move further away from him. Careful to not cause any suspicions, she hid behind a thick column and instantly wore the ebony black mask Jhin has offered her, waiting for the show to begin. As she suspected, the lights went off causing a few people on the ball room to scream in fear. After that, a sole spotlight was lit above the man who had been Jhin's main target, while a familiar smooth yet menacing voice could be heard throughout the room.

"Baron Allan Guimond, tonight is a special night for you."

Royal guards were on the move whilst the man stood frozen in shock under the spotlight.

"Tonight, you shall be the protagonist of my show and entertain this grand audience. Now, _dance_!"

Three consecutive bullets made their way near the man's feet making him scream in terror while jumping to avoid them. Arwen watched the scene displaying before her eyes with disbelief. What was he doing? There was absolutely no chance he missed his target so...was he missing on purpose? Maybe he wanted to toy with the man? If so, it endangered their stay here even longer. But who was she to try and understand what is really going on inside a madman's mind?  
She decided to stick to the plan for now as it guaranteed both her safety and his. Suddenly, a loud crash could be heard near her. She moved her gaze at the source of the noise only to find out he was firing these strong kind of bullets he did the last time he saw him in Ionia. Her face completely paled for a moment, remembering the damage those 4 bullets caused back then. There was no doubt about it. He was planning to sink the ship. It's not just Baron Guimond he wanted to kill. It was everyone.

"That woman is an accomplice of the Golden Demon! Get her!"

One of the guards shouted and Arwen noticed several men running towards her with their guns loaded. Not knowing what to do, she decided to run. Run opposite of the direction Jhin's sniping spot was. She thought that since she might have ruined the plan by making her presence noticeable, she should at least buy his some time and guide them away from him as he had instructed her earlier today. Lost in her thoughts she didn't realise there were two guards standing in front of her now, pointing their guns on her head. Stopping at her tracks she was now surrounded by 5 men. She looked at Jhin's direction but it seems like he was too absorbed on his performance to even notice her. But would this be the end of her? Is this how she wanted her life to end? She couldn't die knowing she has been relying on him until her very end. No, if she was to fall she'd fall fighting. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she silently grabbed the dagger and the gun under the skirt of her dress. In an instant, her eyes opened wide and she shouted on top of her lungs.

"I will... NOT DIE HERE!"

Instantly, her dagger flew straight through one of the men's chest making him fall on the ground squirming in pain. She used the moment of distraction of the rest of the guards to load her gun and shakily started to shoot at them with barely any precision. She understood that this would bring her a disadvantage in fighting so she strapped the gun back to her thigh and grabbed the dagger from the now dead man's chest along with some silverware from the buffet and proceeded to defend herself with them.  
The rest of the fight was a blur to her due to the high levels of adrenaline running through her veins. She only understood what she had done once she saw her bloodied dagger stabbed between the last guard's eyes, creating a pool of blood beneath her feet. Once realisation hit her, she felt hot tears blurring her vision, threatening to fall as she glanced the scenery around her. The people who were partying and laughing a few moments ago were now laying dead in similar pools of blood. Glancing back at the five deceased guards around her, she finally understood the purpose of the trip. This was art too? Painting a room with her favourite red colour, which comes not from natural ingredients but blood? How was she supposed to embrace this kind of art when she found herself looking at the colour red in disgust? The colour she once loved.

"Arwen."

The familiar voice of her traveling companion pulled her out of her thoughts and she stood up turning around to face him, the tears now dried on her cheeks.

"Jhin, I..."

He gave her a nod of approval before continuing to speak.

"That is actually...not quite bad."

She stood still looking at him in shock while trying to proceed his words.

"What do you mean by that?" she finally managed to ask.

"Your art is incomplete but shows endless potential, Arwen. You are obviously not getting along with guns but daggers seem to be quite effective when you use them. And your idea of using silverware was not bad. Not bad at all. It seems you have a rather elegant taste on your weapons."

She remained silent trying to process the things he just said. What was he talking about?

"I feel like this is not the time to make jokes."

His look instantly darkened and she instinctively took one small step back before watching him turn his back on her and walking towards the balcony of the ship.

"I do not joke. I simply stated my admiration towards your effort to create this kind of art. Now, if you don't want to die here as you previously stated, I suggest you follow me to this small boat outside. The ship shall sink soon."

Nodding hesitantly, she followed him outside where a wooden boat was already prepared for them. She jumped in taking only the necessary belongings she possessed and observed him as he did the same, slowly descending the boat towards the dark midnight ocean.  
As the boat moved further away, she watched as the ship was now engulfed in flames, caused by Jhin's explosive bullets, and sinking deep into the ocean along with every proof that the present night ever happened.

"Once we arrive in Noxus we are going to visit some old acquaintances. The only issue is that they hate me and in order to make a necessary deal with them, I'd like you to be the negotiator."

She blinked at him before tilting her head in a questioning way.

"Aren't you always the one who is better at smooth talking? Why should I do it this time?"

His gaze was now on her, a serious look in his eyes.

"We are visiting a family of assassins. If there is one thing you should know about people occupied in this 'industry' is that we thoroughly hate each other. We tend to prefer blunt, honest and straightforward people like yourself. Besides, this old acquaintance of mine is an expert on daggers. She would take up the challenge of teaching you for a week in exchange of information. She never steps out of a good deal."

Arwen looked at him with her eyes open wide almost ready to yell at him but she managed to keep her composure and answered.

"You want me to negotiate with a woman who would not hesitate to kill me in my sleep? And make her tutor me about daggers above everything else? I don't know if it is possible."

He shook his head in a disapproving way and moved his gaze towards the now visible Noxian port.

"Arwen." he begun with a low voice, "If your will to live is as grand as it seemed to be back on the ship you will use anybody to make it alive; even me. Now you are given a chance to learn not only self defense but engaging in a fight as well. Like I said, do not miss it. The dawn is near and we'll reach the port once the sun is up. Think about my suggestion."

She nodded before moving her gaze to the blinding lights of the Noxian port, thinking about all the adventures that awaited her in the morning.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note (2):** Hm, I wonder which prestigious Noxian family of assassins is going to make a cameo next chapter! (wink wink) Hopefully it will be out before June ends. Lastly, I'd like to use this chance to say thank you to everyone who's been supporting the story so far! You guys keep me 100% motivated to continue this! Please don't forget to review, follow and favourite if you haven't already. See you soon! xx_


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